Rooting for root vegetables

It’s time root vegetables come out of the cellar and into the spotlight, says Andrea Chesman, who recently devoted an entire cookbook to recipes from the root cellar.

Milwaukee chef John Raymond — whose mother filled a root cellar with canned parsnips and carrots and pickled beets when he was a kid — agrees.

Raymond has happy childhood memories of parsnips roasted with pot roast or chicken.

And now, he showcases root vegetables at his Roots Restaurant and Cellar when they’re in season. The restaurant celebrates the seasons, especially the vegetables Raymond grows at a Cedarburg farm he leases from a friend.

“I plant, harvest, procure the seeds, tend and preserve what’s produced,” Raymond says. “It’s really neat to follow the entire path from seed in the ground to the smile on a customer’s face.”

Fall is when farmers harvest root vegetables to sell to chefs and farmers market shoppers, and they typically get top billing on restaurant menus throughout winter.

Roots, the restaurant, celebrates them not just because they reflect the establishment’s name, but because they’re integral in northern cuisine for their storage life and versatility when other seasonal produce is gone for the year, Raymond says.

“Root vegetables cross all cultures and cuisines,” he adds. “We can travel to Mexico and the Southwest by using jicama and yucca root, (to) Europe with celeriac, parsnip and burdock. And one of Roots’ favorites, the sunchoke, is a native to North America.”

Cafe Manna in Brookfield, Wis., emphasizes their healthful properties. The vegetarian restaurant draws the essence of six root vegetables, plus parsley and celery, into a soothing, warming, mineral-rich tonic called Root Vegetable Potassium Broth.

Nearly two cups of root vegetables go into each 12-ounce drink ($4), providing about three servings of vegetables, says Robin Kasch, owner of the restaurant in Sendik’s Towne Center.

The veggies are chopped and cooked on the stove top for a couple of hours, which draws their nutrients, color and flavors into the water. The broth is saved while the emptied roots are thrown away, Kasch says.

“The broth is very hearty and soothing,” she says, attributing this recipe to “a mentor.” “You couldn’t possibly eat as many vegetables as you could get in a cup of that broth. It is concentrated.”

Cafe Manna adds Braggs Liquid Aminos — a nonfermented soy sauce available in health food stores that contains essential amino acids — to give the broth a salty flavoring.

Cafe Manna also juliennes carrots, parsnips, daikon radishes, yellow beets, celery root and turnips to toss into a seasonal stir-fry, with a sauce that includes sesame oil, mirin, ginger, cilantro and green onions.

You can grate raw root vegetables and dress them with olive oil, vinegar and sea salt to showcase them in a seasonal salad with greens, Raymond suggests.

Root vegetables also have a natural affinity to nuts, he says.

Most root vegetables have been around for centuries, but they fell out of favor because they didn’t have the pizzazz of other vegetables such as carrots and potatoes. Farmers markets have given once-forgotten root vegetables broader appeal for both chefs and home cooks, says Cafe Manna Executive Chef Brett Feuersthaler.

Here’s a primer for those who want to give these humble roots of the earth a try:

• Beets: They start to appear in farmers markets in midsummer but have a long season.

Be careful when working with maroon beets; they can stain your hands (and any ingredient with which they come into contact) an outlandish pink color. A popular golden variety offers the earthy flavor without the staining.

Beets are actually related to Swiss chard; they originated from the same wild species in the Mediterranean.

• Celery root: Also known as celeriac, this root arrives in mid-October at restaurants and farmers markets.

It tastes like celery.

It’s an excellent source of soluble fiber to help lower blood cholesterol. It’s also rich in iron, manganese, potassium, vitamin K and phosphorus and is a good source of vitamin C, folate and magnesium.

Celeriac’s tough, furrowed, outer surface is usually sliced off because it is too rough to peel. It’s often used as a flavoring in soups and stews; it can also be used on its own, usually mashed, or in casseroles, gratins and baked dishes.

Chefs popularized celeriac over the past decade, Raymond says, as the local foods movement broadened the availability of lesser-known, forgotten root vegetables. Unlike other root vegetables, which store a large amount of starch, celeriac is only about 5 percent to 6 percent starch by weight.

Feuersthaler likes to mash celeriac with potatoes.

“They also make great chips, dehydrated,” she says.

Other great celeriac flavor pairings she recommended: caramelized onions and celeriac in soup. Or, caramelized pears with celeriac.

• Parsnips: Like celeriac, parsnips are versatile. They’re related to carrots but are paler and have a sweeter flavor

Feuersthaler sometimes substitutes parsnips for carrots in cake, bread or muffins.

The parsnip harvest begins after the first frost and continues until the ground freezes over. Parsnips can be eaten raw, but are most commonly boiled, roasted or used in soups, stews and casseroles. They also can be fried.

Parsnips will last a month in the refrigerator. Roasting brings out their sweetness. Peel and cut into ¼-inch-thick sticks and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 F, stirring once, until tender, about 45 minutes.

In Roman times, parsnips were believed to be an aphrodisiac. British colonists introduced them to North America, but the potato replaced the parsnip in popularity in the mid-19th century.

• Rutabaga: This root vegetable is a cross between cabbage and turnips. It can be used as a substitute for turnips, and its flavor is simultaneously sweet and slightly bitter.

The rutabaga first appeared in Eastern Europe in the 17th century, and it was one of the few vegetables to last through long Scandinavian winters, Chesman writes in “Recipes from the Root Cellar” (Story Publishing, 2010, $18.95). It was the food of the poor, valued as an important source of nutrition, she writes.

Rutabagas got a bad rap during World War I, when they became a food of last resort. In the German Steckrubenwinter (rutabaga winter) of 1916 to 1917, large parts of the population were kept alive on a diet consisting of rutabagas and little else, as grain and potato crops failed, Chesman writes. After the war, most people were so tired of “famine food,” they turned against the rutabagas that had sustained them.

Rutabagas also were fed to the livestock in winter, which didn’t help their image, Chesman says.

• Turnips: Fall turnips are usually larger and of higher quality than spring turnips. So the fall crop typically is stored for winter use.

Some say their taste resembles mustard greens. They lend themselves to being mashed with potatoes. Just boil peeled turnips until tender, and mash them with heavy cream, butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

A turnip harvested small is interchangeable with a daikon radish and is delicious in Asian-style salads or as an addition to a crudites plate, Chesman says. An older turnip is interchangeable with a rutabaga (though not as sweet), and is best cooked because it has a stronger flavor.

The turnip dates back to the prehistoric development of agriculture, probably because it’s easy to grow and store, according to Chesman. It was brought to the Americas, planted in Canada in 1541. It also was planted in Virginia by the colonists in 1609.

Celery Root (Celeriac) and Aged Gouda Gratin

Yield:Makes about 6 servings

Celeriac, a less-familiar root vegetable for the average home cook, is featured in this recipe from John Raymond of Roots Restaurant and Cellar.

6 egg yolks

2 cups whipping cream

1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 medium celery roots, peeled

6 ounces aged Gouda

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled

½ bunch green onions, chopped (green tops only)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Prepare custard base in a large stainless steel bowl: Beat egg yolks, add whipping cream, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

Thinly slice celery root and potatoes using and mandoline or sharp knife and place in custard mix. Grate Gouda cheese.

Coat an 8-by-12 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray.

Stir custard mixture to ensure that all root and potato pieces are coated. Begin by laying down one layer of roots and potatoes, chopped green onion and Gouda; continue until all ingredients are used.

Pour any remaining custard over the top just to cover the vegetables.

Bake in preheated oven uncovered 1 hour. Pierce with a knife; there should be no resistance from vegetables or raw custard visible. Let rest briefly and then serve.

Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

Yield:Makes 4 to 6 servings

Serve this lamb stew from Andrea Chesman’s “Recipes from the Root Cellar” (Storey Publishing, $18.95) with a Pinot Noir and a crusty loaf of French bread.

4 pounds lamb stew meat with bones (from neck and shoulder)

2/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (divided)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup sunflower or canola oil (divided)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups chicken broth or beef broth

1 cup red wine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound carrots and/or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound rutabagas and/or turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Pat lamb dry. Combine flour and 1 tablespoon of the thyme in a shallow bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add lamb and toss to coat.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Lift lamb pieces out of flour, shaking off excess, and add in a single layer to pan. Do not overcrowd pan; you may have to cook in batches.

Brown meat on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove meat as it browns and set aside.

Continue browning remaining meat.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to pan and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add broth, wine and garlic, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer.

Return meat to pan. Partially cover pan and let simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

Add carrots, celery root and rutabagas; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

Parsnip Latkes

Yield: Makes about 15 to 18 (3-inch) latkes

Chef-owner John Raymond of Roots Restaurant and Cellar is a fan of parsnips, and enjoys substituting them for potatoes in this classic recipe.

1 pound parsnips, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons salt

½ cup minced leek (white part only)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme

Freshly cracked black pepper

½ cup olive oil

Crème fraîche for serving

Season parsnips with salt, cover with a damp towel and set aside in colander for 30 minutes. This will leach out some moisture. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, drain, place on clean dry linen and ring out extra water. In stainless bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except olive oil. Heat a nonstick sauté pan to medium high heat; add olive oil. Drop about 2 to 3 tablespoons of latke mixture into hot oil, spread out mix and brown on both sides. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche for a refreshing alternative to the common latke.

Cafe Manna’s Root Vegetable Stir-Fry

Yield:Makes 4 servings

This recipe from Cafe Manna in Brookfield, Wis., is a versatile stir-fry. Feel free to substitute your favorite seasonal vegetables other times of the year.

1 tablespoon diced ginger

1 green onion

¼ bunch cilantro

Juice of ½ orange

1 to 2 tablespoons parsley

½ teaspoon garlic

1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil

¼ cup mirin wine (available in Asian section of supermarket)

1 tablespoon olive oil

¾ cup julienned carrots

¾ cup julienned parsnips

¾ cup julienned Daikon radish

¾ cup julienned yellow beet

¾ cup julienned celery root

¾ cup julienned turnip

Hot cooked jasmine or basmati rice

To prepare sauce, place ginger, green onion, cilantro, orange juice, parsley, garlic, sesame oil and mirin in blender and purée until smooth.

Heat oil in sauté pan over high heat. Add carrots, parsnips, Daikon radish, yellow beet, celery root and turnip, and quickly sauté a minute or two, keeping vegetables moving so they don’t burn. Add sauce, toss a couple of times, and cook another 2 minutes, keeping vegetables moving, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve with rice.